Glossary

Anchor text

Anchor text is the clickable, visible words of a link, which give readers and search engines context about the linked page.

3 min read · Published August 8, 2026

Anchor text at a glance

Anchor text is the highlighted text you click to follow a link. It tells readers where the link goes and gives search engines a strong hint about the topic of the destination page. Descriptive anchor text like "web design pricing" is far more useful than a vague "click here".

Why anchor text matters for your website

Search engines use anchor text, both in your internal links and in backlinks from other sites, to understand and rank pages. Clear, varied, natural anchor text improves navigation, accessibility, and SEO. Over-optimised, repetitive exact-match anchors can look manipulative, so aim for descriptive text that reads naturally.

FAQ

What is good anchor text?

Short, descriptive text that accurately reflects the linked page, reads naturally in the sentence, and avoids generic phrases like "click here".

Does anchor text affect SEO?

Yes. It helps search engines understand what the target page is about, so relevant, natural anchor text supports rankings, while spammy exact-match anchors can hurt.

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